You will have to wait until next week to find out!

We will say this. When TCU wants to put the best turf available in their newly remodeled Amon G. Carter Stadium, who do you think they called?

So when it really does matter, call who the professionals call: 888-221-0422

Remember to ‘Like’ us on Facebook for your free copy of ‘A How To Guide For Lawn Measurement & Maintenance’.

Don’t let this cool snap of weather mislead you. This is the perfect time of year to install a new lawn.

What makes it perfect? The temperature, the Spring rainy season, Winter weeds are on their way out and Summer weeds have yet to germinate. So a new lawn has the best environment to establish a healthy root system before the heat of Summer arrives.

Installing a new lawn is as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5:

1. Measure Your Lawn – When measuring your lawn for new grass, start by dividing the area into a number of squares, rectangles and triangles. It may be a good idea to make a rough drawing of your lawn, showing any flower beds, walk ways or other areas that wont have grass.
   See our ‘How To Measure Your Lawn’ video for step by step instructions.
2. Choose The Right Grass – When choosing what grass to put in your lawn, there are three major factors to consider:
   • The amount of Sun available
   • Irrigation
   • The amount and type of traffic on the lawn
   See our ‘How To Choose The Right Grass For Your Lawn’ video for step by step instructions.
3. Prepare Your Soil – When preparing your soil for new sod:
   • Mark all sprinkler heads
   • Remove all existing grass, weeds and debris
   • Add additional fill or organic material as needed
   See our ‘How To Prepare Your Soil For New Sod‘ video for step by step instructions.
4. Install New Blocks Of Sod – Start laying your blocks in one corner and work your way along an edge and then into the lawn. Place the blocks as close to each other as possible, making sure they touch firmly but don’t overlap or ‘pucker’ up, allowing an air gap to form. Do not allow any air bubbles to be left between the soil and the block of sod. The root structure should always come in solid contact with the soil below.
   See our ‘How To Install Blocks Of Sod’ video for step by step instructions. 
5. Help Your New Lawn Become Established – Now that you have install your new sod, what you do in the next few weeks will be critical to the establishment of a healthy lawn for years to come. If your sod came from Tri-Tex Grass, it’s already nutrient rich so all you need to add is water. When it comes to watering, the biggest question is usually ‘how often, and how much’. For the first 10 days, water your lawn three times a day for 10 minutes each time.
   See our ‘How To Help Your New Lawn Become Established’ video for step by step instructions.

Whether you do it yourself or have a crew do the work, installing a lawn now will help it give you satisfaction for years to come.

So when it really does matter, call who the professionals call: 888-221-0422

Remember to ‘Like’ us on Facebook for your free copy of ‘A How To Guide For Lawn Measurement & Maintenance’.

Andrew Siegel
Head Athletic Grounds Keeper
University Of Texas Arlington

Managing more than one athletic facility on a college campus is a task that will always keep a groundskeeper busy. It is enjoyable because I get to interact with more than one group of people but, it can also be tricky to appease all parties. I have four goals to keep in mind each day when I come in to UTA.

• The single most important objective to keep in mind is that safety always comes first. As a groundskeeper, I have to pay attention to any and everything that could cause an injury to an athlete. This includes ruts or divots on the playing surface, a worn area on skinned area of the infield, loose base, or even a broken wall pad on the fence.

• Communication is a key factor in any industry and this one is no different. Having a baseball and softball field means that I have both, baseball and softball coaches to work with. No two coaching staffs are the same and each has different expectations. One group may want the same field setup every day for practice while one may simply fly by the seat of their pants. I have to talk, text, or email every day so I can know what they want. Also, with the schedule full of summer camps and tournaments, communication is ideal for arranging aerations and other projects during open dates during the summer months.

• Time management is one thing that cannot be stressed enough. I am working at the fields full time every day with the help of two part time students who are learning from me as we go. I find it difficult at times to get every goal accomplished, set forth for a particular day. In order to have practices and games ready to go when it is time, a few meals may be missed as well as some sleep. I have a master schedule drawn up so each member of our three man crew knows when to be where and what they have to get done. It saves time that could be wasted chasing me down to see what we need to do that particular day. I also try to plan ahead a few days in advance if there are any larger projects we will be working on.

• Understand that some projects take priority over others. The hardest pill to swallow at times is sacrificing one project for another. There are so many little things that need to be fixed or tweaked in order to get these two facilities where I want to be. However, I remind myself that Rome was not built in a day. It is just not possible to accomplish all of our goals in one day or week so set a master plan with expectations and a goal of when to finish them all.

We’ve all heard of an ‘Indian Summer’, where a heat wave hits in autumn, but how about an ‘Indian Spring’?

With periodic cold fronts dropping North Texas temperatures into the 30s, it could be said we are experiencing ‘Indian Springs’, causing seasonal delays in some plant species.

Compared to previous years, many lawns across the area are running as much as 20 to 30 days late in their emergence from dormancy.

Temperatures have been a ‘roller coaster’ of highs and lows and while the extended forecast looks to fluctuate, the variance appears to be less extreme.

Our turf does its best transformation to spring growth when temperatures consistently reach the mid 80º F.

The good news is, if you were late in fertilizing or still haven’t, there’s still time. Follow the instructions on the bag and give your lawn the nutrient boost it needs.

When it really does matter, call who the professionals call: 888-221-0422

Remember to ‘Like’ us on Facebook for your free copy of ‘A How To Guide For Lawn Measurement & Maintenance’.

As highlighted recently in ‘Turf wars: Which grass is best for the Texas summer?’ on WFAA, Channel 8, in Dallas, the shortage of water resources in Texas are impacting landscape design.

The traditional choices of bermuda or St. Augustine grasses for lawns and common areas are being replaced with grasses requiring less water, like Zoysias and Buffalograsses.

According to Patrick Dickinson, Texas A&M Agrilife Research Center in North Dallas, “St. Augustine has a reputation as a water hog, and it is,”. In fact, he said, in the summer, St. Augustine drinks more than double that of Zoysia, and Buffalo drinks even less.

Due to the demand on these more water efficient grasses, inventories of Zoysia are under pressure and availability may be impacted until early summer. Contact us for current availability.

St. Augustine lawns which have suffered through the droughts of recent years and displaying bald spots or dead areas may see more stress as water restrictions are implemented.

For watering tips, visit our ‘Learning’ page and watch ‘How To Maintain Your New Lawn’.

See the full ‘Turf Wars - Which grass is best for the Texas summer‘ story from WFAA, Channel 8.

When it really does matter, call who the professionals call: 888-221-0422

Remember to ‘Like’ us on Facebook for your free copy of ‘A How To Guide For Lawn Measurement & Maintenance’.

Infield at the Ballpark In Arlington just after installation

Will the Rangers be ready for their home opener? One thing for sure is that the field will be.

When The Texas Ranger MLB team hits the field for their home opener at The Ballpark In Arlington, they will be playing on some of the most beautiful and best kept turf in any park in the nation.

New for this year, the infield features overseeded Tifway 419. Installed in mid February, the grass looked like it was ready to play within a few weeks. The Tifway 419, from our Tioga farm, replaced a Zoysia that previously made up the infield.

The Rangers come to their season’s home opener from a successful series with the Houston Astros, featuring a near perfect game two by pitcher Yu Darvish.

It looks like the Rangers are ready to play and we know the field is ready for them. The grounds crew at the Ballpark have worked diligently to insure the field is in perfect condition for their home town team. A number of things can go wrong in any game and they have made sure the field is not one of those variables.

Will the Rangers take advantage of this perfect surface with a surprise bunt? We’ll just have to watch and see.

When it really does matter, call who the professionals call: 888-221-0422

Remember to ‘Like’ us on Facebook for your free copy of ‘A How To Guide For Lawn Measurement & Maintenance’.

If you are lucky enough to have a large yard, you can create areas for different functions such as various seating areas where guests can congregate while entertaining, areas for resting with a hammock or day bed, an area for sun bathing or showering, a garden area, and more. Plan your space like you would arrange furniture in a room.

Whether it’s an outdoor kitchen, living area or bathroom, these spaces can be formal or relaxing and casual. Having come a long way from just a BBQ on the patio, there are a few common design ideas that are gaining popularity.

Start by determining the style you want to create. Focus on local flair or foreign countries for inspiration. Consider the use of:

Draperies & Cushions: Create drama and attention with colors, textures and patterns.

Umbrellas: A large colorful umbrella will draw attention, create a focal point to work with and provide shaded, cooler area in our Texas sun.

Awnings & Pergolas: Covering a patio, connected to the house, not only makes the area more attractive and comfortable, it may save on your energy bills by cutting the amount of heat entering your home.

Outdoor Carpet or Area Rugs: If you don’t have the budget for natural stones, pavers or a new stamped concrete patio, an outdoor rug will define an intimate setting and feel great under your feet.

Lighting: The biggest bang for your buck is the mood set with outdoor lighting. Create drama and draw attention to areas you desire with the use of uplighting, down lighting, accent or pathway lights and don’t forget the use of candles and hanging lanterns.

Decks: Wooden decks are the easiest way to create areas of height and depth. They are also the easiest way to create a level area in unleveled terrain.

Water Features: Water, whether it’s a fountain, waterfall, pond, hot tub or pool, can make a strong focal point and creative statement. The cooling effect of a water feature will also make the area more comfortable on a warm evening.

Potted Plants & Art: Add texture, color and dimension with plants and focal points with large pieces of art or sculpture.

Fire Pits: Similar to water features, wood burning fire pits create a focal point and gathering area. Providing color in the evening, warmth and aroma, these areas should never be left unattended. Especially during dry spells. Gas fire pits are gaining popularity and are very convenient with their ‘on – off’ capability.

Turf: There is nothing as cooling to an outdoor living area as a healthy lawn. Not only does it provide color, texture and comfort, it connects the various areas in a common canvas.

Be creative and you will find that a minimal investment will increase your property value and return a lifetime of rewards with areas for family fun and social gatherings.

When it really does matter, call who the professionals call: 888-221-0422

Remember to ‘Like’ us on Facebook for your free copy of ‘A How To Guide For Lawn Measurement & Maintenance’.

Howard College’s Big Springs campus will be ready for the baseball season in style, after installing overseeded Tifway 419 on their field.

The season’s start just around the corner, so time is of the essence. With the proper preparation to the field before installation, the healthy 419 will begin rooting almost immediately.

Grown at our farm in College Station, we overseeded a section of our Tifway 419 with domestic ryegrass at a ratio perfect for a application in Texas.

With bermudagrasses, spring and summer installations are usually best, but when it comes to sports fields and golf courses, the demand is there year round. That’s why we keep a substantial inventory of overseeded Tifway 419 available for patch work or complete renovation projects throughout the winter months.

Tri-Tex Grass can custom overseed to meet your specific need. With your project in mind, careful attention is given to the ratio of overseeding applied, mowing height & frequency, and final application.

When it really does matter, call who the professionals call: 888-221-0422

Remember to ‘Like’ us on Facebook for your free copy of ‘A How To Guide For Lawn Measurement & Maintenance’.

Returning from The TifEagle Growers Association’s annual conference in Athens, Georgia, Randy Price announced the increased production of TifEagle at their Tioga Farm.

The expanded area will be developed with underground irrigation and increases the existing inventory of TifEagle, which is ready for immediate distribution and installation by block, big roll or sprigging.

TifEagle is the third generation of bermudagrass varieties developed exclusively for golf greens by the Coastal Plains Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia. With its superior ability to stand up to the physical stresses of lower mowing heights and frequent verticuttings, it has proven it to be a premier putting surface.

TifEagle recovers more quickly from mechanical injury, has better color and is extremely cold-hardy, drought tolerant and disease resistant.

As a member of the TifEagle Growers Association, selling only certified sod and sprigs, Tri-Tex Grass grows and distributes this patented variety following the strongest set of standards for quality-conscious, stringent production practices as established by the Georgia Seed Development Commission.

When it really does matter, call who the professionals call: 888-221-0422

Remember to ‘Like’ us on Facebook for your free copy of ‘A How To Guide For Lawn Measurement & Maintenance’.

Major League Baseball’s Spring Training begins in February, but turf on the playing fields in Texas is still in dormancy and doesn’t come out until later in the season.

Not only does the grass have to be rooted and in playing condition, it has to look great on national television. So what does the Texas Rangers grounds crew at The Ballpark In Arlington do to prepare for preseason games and the season opener?

They have Tri-Tex Grass install the infield with overseeded Tifway 419.

Grown at our North Texas farm in Tioga, we overseeded a section of our Tifway 419 with domestic ryegrass at a ratio perfect for The Ballpark’s application.

With bermudagrasses, spring and summer installations are usually best, but when it comes to sports fields and golf courses, the demand is there year round. That’s why we keep a substantial inventory of overseeded Tifway 419 available for patch work or complete renovation projects throughout the winter months.

Like the Rangers Ballpark In Arlington, we can custom overseed to meet your specific need. With your project in mind, careful attention is given to the ratio of overseeding applied, mowing height & frequency, and final application.

When it really does matter, call who the professionals call: 888-221-0422

To see more pictures of the new infield, go to our Facebook page. And remember to ‘Like’ us for your free copy of ‘A How To Guide For Lawn Measurement & Maintenance’.